Electronic Arts Acquires Bejeweled, Plants vs Zombies Dev PopCap

Video game publishing juggernaut Electronic Arts announced today that they will be acquiring independent video game developer PopCap games for a kingly sum. PopCap Games is best known for its casual and social gaming titles like Bejeweled Blitz, Plants vs. Zombies and Zuma.

Over the last eleven years of its existence, PopCap Games has become, inarguably, one of the single most successful casual game developers in the world. It's games are almost universally successful, from incredible hits like Bejeweled to comparable smaller scale games (though still enormous sellers) like Bookworm.

The deal that PopCap brokered with EA was worth a total of $750 million dollars in cash and stock. Early reports seems to indicate that EA has big plans for the PopCap brand as well as its personnel. The company will not only be bringing PopCap's highly successful range of titles into the console gaming field, but they also have plans for PopCap's expertise.

EA reportedly wants PopCap to help them bring their successful console and PC brands into the social and casual market. The Sims, Battlefield, FIFA and Madden are all brands that could get the social gaming treatment.

"EA and PopCap are a compelling combination," said EA CEO John Riccitiello speaking with The Guardian. "PopCap's great studio talent and powerful IP add to EA's momentum and accelerate our drive towards a $1bn digital business. EA's global studio and publishing network will help PopCap rapidly expand their business to more digital devices, more countries, and more channels."

"We picked EA because they have recast their culture around making great digital games," said David Roberts, CEO at PopCap Games. "By working with EA, we'll scale our games and services to deliver more social, mobile, casual fun to an even bigger, global audience."

This is the second purchase EA has made in the casual and social gaming space. EA bought Facebook developer Playfish for $400 million in 2009.